How to make the best cold cucumber salad and how to eat it

The key to making crispy and flavorful cucumber salad lies in the selection, seasoning, and pickling techniques. Mastering the three core steps of cutting thickness, salting out moisture, and sauce ratio can help cucumbers maintain a crisp taste while fully absorbing flavor. The crispness of cucumber salad is directly related to the cutting method. Thin cucumber slices are prone to softening and collapsing, while thick ones are not easily flavorful. It is recommended to cut the cucumber into 0.5 centimeter thick rolling blocks or slanted blades, which can maintain a crisp texture and facilitate the penetration of sauce. Lightly tap the cucumber with the back of the knife to make the surface slightly cracked, which can accelerate the absorption of seasonings. The processed cucumber needs to be marinated with salt for 5 minutes, allowing some water to settle out before being squeezed dry. This step can effectively improve its crispness and prevent subsequent seasoning from being too light.

It is recommended to use a 3:1:1 golden ratio for seasoning sauce. Three portions of vinegar provide a basic sour aroma, one portion of light soy sauce adds a salty and fresh base flavor, and one portion of sesame oil gives a rich aroma. Spicy lovers can add minced garlic and millet chili, while sweet lovers can add half a spoonful of white sugar to balance the taste.

Cold cucumber salad is recommended to be made and eaten immediately. If left for more than 2 hours, it will gradually become soft. If you need to prepare in advance, you can separate the cucumber from the sauce and mix well before consumption. Paired with fried peanuts or roasted sesame seeds, it can enhance the sense of layering, and refrigerate for 10 minutes before consumption for a fresher taste. Note that people with gastrointestinal sensitivity should not eat too many raw and cold cucumbers on an empty stomach. People with diabetes should control the amount of sugar when seasoning. Choose fresh cucumbers with prickly skin and firm texture when pinched, and avoid using cucumbers that have been stored for too long and become soft, which can affect the taste.